Customer Reviews

It Might As Well Be the Moon

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disc one of this double disc set is an enhanced version of the recording "in a new age", which was recorded on march 2nd, 1988. the original recording featured mickey, violinist marie rhines, and some bass accompanyment by edgar meyer. that recording was released on the ill-fated airborne record label.
the story of how this recording came to be started because some nashville producer wanted to take some new recordings of mickey's and release them in some fashion. that fashion featured "new age" arrangements that mickey objected to. The initial sessions started in 1982, and featured a different vocal performance. some copies (vinyl, cassette, and compact disc) were released in canada as "in a new age" (note..on the cd copy, one will not know if they have a "canadian" version until they look at the actual disc. on the disc it is printed "a legend in a new age" instead of "in a new age"..also..on the back of the cover tray, the track names and order are in a "block" font/format..you will also notice on the very bottom that the printing was done in canada..if your copy features what i have just described, you have the canadian version..this is sort of a "butcher cover" collectible for newbury and audiophites alike). as a result of mickey's disapproval, mickey decided to re-record the same compositions in the same order.
he went into a nashville studio with marie rhines on march 2, 1988 and recorded the songs live, without any overdubs. the songs were recorded in one take, with only a coffee break dividing the session.
this recording is becoming one of my all time favorite recordings by any artist. i cannot express the music in words.
this version "it might as well be the moon" was released as a re-release, with an added bonus of a live recording of mickey and marie in san francisco shortly after the original release of "in a new age". the label that originally released "in a new age" came upon financial hardships, thus, the recording had a limited pressing. re-released ten years after the original recording, disc one features some extra percussion (note: the "newest" version does not have any percussion..a mystery that has yet to be explained..so in short.. the tally comes out to FOUR versions that have been released thus far).
both discs in this double set are wonderful, but it is the recordings done on march of 1988 that will, hopefully, take you to an aural place you have never been.
from the first strains of music that come through after the sounds of rain and ambiance, i was moved and transcended into the world and craftsmanship of one mickey newbury.
i listen to this recording on my best and worst days...passages that many know too well, and need that uplift in the form of recorded music. the material and how it is presented here, if you know a bit about mickey's trials, will make sense as a testament: an aural pictorial.
you are invited.
if you find a copy of "in a new age" (the disc)..snag it!!! Also, if you get lucky, you might stumble across the version that was ill released in canada. this may be sac-relig to write, but i am just as touched by the "canadian" version.
enjoy.

This dbl cd's contains a rendition of "In a new age" and a 70 minutes of live tracks cd. The sound is pristine, and many of Newbury's great songs are here. If you've never heard of Newbury, you have probably heard his songs, which have been covered more than 300 times, but his versions are the real thing. Highly spiritual, ethereal. One of the best american singer-sogwriters.

Afer you hear this set you'll want the 8 cd's Mickey Newbury Collection [Box Set] , so start putting your money aside from now. Enjoy!

I couldn't recommend this (2)CD set more highly. If you would like Mickey's website you can contact me at: randec@earthlink.net . You're in for a treat!

The first CD is pulled together by the gentle sound of rain and distant trains. The sound effects accent a lonesome sadness, the same mood that made Mickey Newbury distinct so many years ago. Disc 2 has equally good music, nearly twice as much as what's on Disc 1. It's recorded live before an audience and Newbury gives a short history of each song before he sings it. There's nothing lost after all these years. This is good Newbury.

Absolutely loved this CD. One of Newberry's best.. Has a little of everything. He does songs I have never heard him do before. Loved it